


No More Waiting

by Val_Creative



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Canon, Cute Ending, Fluff, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Growing Up Together, Humor, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romantic Friendship, Swearing, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 14:39:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13413405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Val_Creative/pseuds/Val_Creative
Summary: Eddie sneaks out of his house in the middle of the night, his heart racing. He climbs into Richie's window, howling and ranting, his fury so palpable that Richie trembles along with him, trying to shush Eddie before his parents hear, cradling his face. Richie's lips taste like peach-nectar and a tinge of black, smoky nicotine.





	No More Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> **Further warnings** for mentions of underage smoking and homophobia.
> 
> AAAH I LOVE THEM. Okay so I'm been helping as a volunteer moderator at the [ItFandomSecretSanta](https://itfandomsecretsanta.tumblr.com) blog on Tumblr and we had a bunch of dropouts. It's unfortunate, but I am also determined to keep this organized enough to where everybody gets a gift! So this is being gifted to the marvelous Jaleesa ([arielgirly](https://arielgirly.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr) who asked for something with IT 2017 (I spied on your blog and say you liked Reddie lmao) and I hope they enjoy it! :) And I hope you guys who ship Reddie do too! 
> 
> Any comments/thoughts appreciated!

 

*

The quarry simmers with heat, its spring-green waters rippling.

It should be the perfect day to go swimming with his friends, but he can't.

Eddie's gigantic, yellowing cast itches like hell. He scratches unconsciously over its molding. It's infuriating as Eddie struggles with the removal of a pop-tab to his can of grape soda. "Hey, you want a-any help there?' Bill offers, smiling a little. He plops next to Eddie on a sun-warmed boulder, completely dripping wet in his underwear.

" _I can do it!_ " he yells back, flushing with shame when Bill's expression falls.

Bill opens his mouth, maybe to apologize, but hesitates and closes it.

Stanley gives him a slightly disapproving look — and like Eddie, he's still fully clothed. There's no more bandages on Stanley's face, but very faint pink scarring.

"Eds, don't take it out on him. It's not his fault."

" _Actually_ —"

"Oh, knock it off already," Beverly grumbles, also dripping wet. One of her ivory-hued bra's straps loosely hangs off her shoulder. "Maybe if you weren't being such a whiny baby—" She grabs Eddie's soda from him, cracking apart the pop-tab and handing everything back to him.

He doesn't thank her, but slowly sips on the purplish foam, eyeing the curly, reddened glisten to her wet hair. She and Richie spent the most time in the water, splashing and laughing, beckoning to the others.

A knot of _something_ hot and twisty rises in Eddie's gut. He's never seen Richie openly befriend someone this quickly.

Everybody admires Beverly for being tough and headstrong, but also a sweetheart. She fights for what she believes in. Beverly shares her cigarettes, and Richie often is the first one to grab one, leaning into her comfortably, shoulder-to-shoulder and hip-to-hip, when they light their ends with a Zippo stolen from the pharmacy's desk.

No way Eddie could never hate her. Not after everything they've been through… but why does…?

Richie snorts out laughter.

"Eddie's not a baby. He just _fusses_ ," he announces, grinning widely when Eddie rolls his eyes and tosses Richie a mild ' _whatever you say_ ' stare. But for good measure, Eddie tosses his lightweight, silvery pull-tab from his can as well, flicking Richie between his eyes.

This just creates more laughter, from Richie and from everybody else. Beverly's lips curl up.

Richie lifts it up, poking his shriveled, pinky finger through the opening of pull-tab. He holds out his left hand in front of himself dramatically.

" _Ahww_ , I'll cherish it forever~~" he uses one of his Voices, and Eddie immediately recognizes it as one of their grade-school teachers. The one who was so love with her next-door neighbor turned husband that she would daydream during their reading hour, examining her own wedding ring as if it was made of pure _starlight_.

Flush-color burns on Eddie's cheeks.

"Stick it up your nose for all I care, dumbass," he mumbles, pretending to ignore the wink.

*

Beverly moves to Portland. She visits during the summer.

Much to his irritation, Eddie think he's still the smallest and the shortest of the Losers.

Richie seems to grow an inch every month, along with his wild, dark hair. He doesn't fill out at all, but stumbles around with a gangly, awkward rhythm that _perfectly_ suits Richie somehow and makes him genuinely hilarious.

In a year, Ben also moves away, along with his mom and aunt and cousin, out towards New York state.

Bill's gloominess heightens, and the rest of his friends do their best to make everything feel normal. Richie suggests they all start a band, naming off who would play what instrument (Eddie doesn't mind the suggestion of being on tambourine or harmonica. He's practiced whistling through his fingers since he was eight, and inherited his father's old Marine harmonica. It feels _nice_ to be carrying a physical memory around).

In a year, Richie gets hospitalized for mono. They don't see him until Christmas, bright-eyed and dimpled, his nose raw-red in the cold.

He kisses Eddie on March 16, 1991, the same day as the NYE Pride March and the same day Eddie's mom finds out he's gay. She doesn't kick him out — only insists he's so, so _sick_ and needs help.

Eddie sneaks out of his house in the middle of the night, his heart racing.

He climbs into Richie's window, howling and ranting, his fury so palpable that Richie _trembles_ with him, trying to shush Eddie before his parents hear, cradling his face. Richie's lips taste like peach-nectar and a tinge of black, smoky nicotine. Eddie holds him so tightly that his bones _ache_ , and his chests stutters for air until Richie whispers his name against Eddie's mouth.

He presses their lips together again, chuckling and pulling off his glasses. It's hard to believe they're here, twin heartbeats under flannel, with Richie's arms drowsily circling his waist. He snores into Eddie's neck until sunrise.

Then another year passes.

Eddie sees a familiar, silvery pull-tab, and how it's tucked firmly underneath Richie's steel guitar strings.

" _You really are a dumbass,_ " he mumbles, leaning in and sleepily pressing his lips against the other teen's darkly stubbled chin, grinning.

*

 

**Author's Note:**

> Funny thing but I'm cackling because Kris ([babybyelers](http://babybyelers.tumblr.com) on Tumblr) posted a new chapter to her fic "[thunder and lightning](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13307766/chapters/30457425)" yesterday - which totally go read it's a fabulous Reddie story you won't regret it - she put Eddie drinking grape soda in hers and I wrote about Eddie drinking grape soda in this, and we never discussed this! We are fic-twins lmao I can't think of anyone else I've done that with and I'm honored that it's you bb! :D Anyway I just honest to god thought that was funny!


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